High pressure refractory gun



y 1, 1965 A. s. ARWINE 3,182,915

HIGH PRESSURE REFRACTORY GUN Filed Feb. 26, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet l seq m INVENTOE. R. JizzaZJi'W/iifl,

# yds J May 11, 1965 s. ARWINE 3,182,915

HIGH PRESSURE REFRACTORY GUN 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 26, 1963 Al /a a l i h'; w s GLO United statss'latemo 3,182,915 HIGH PRESSURE REFRAtZTORY GUN Alva S. Arwine, Phoenixville, Pa., assignor, by me'sue assignments, to Refractory & Insulation Corporation,

New York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed Feb. 26, 1963, Ser. No. 261,072 2 Claims. (Cl. 239-142 This invention relates to a high pressure refractory gun and, more particularly, to a high pressure mixing and spraying apparatus for dispensing a mix, containing liquid and finely divided solid particles, around the inside surfaces of a high temperature furnace.

It is an object of this invention to provide a high speed mixing apparatus wherein finely divided but relatively heavy particles of metallic ore can be uniformly mixed within a liquid usually Water, and then the mixture sprayed through a conduit around theinterior surfaces of a high temperature furnace. I

It is another object of this invention to provide a means within the conduit'itself so that the particles remaindiffused in the conveying fluid even though the material is conveyed a considerable distance from the primary'mixing apparatus. c

It is another object of this invention to provide an apparatus having the advantages described above which is substantially portable so that it can be .placed in any y 3,182,915 Patented May 11, 1965 A high'speed mixer 50 consisting of an electric drive motor 52-, a connected drive shaft Stand a plurality of propellers 56,57 positioned above and within the tank as shown in 1 and partly in FIG. 2.; The shaft 54 extends through apacking gland 53 sealing the tank against the escape of water and high pressure air. Propellers 56 and 57 are preferably positioned approximately inches apart so that an optimum mixing action is achieved at the bottom of the tank but it is pointed out that one propeller can also'be used effectively. It is par- 7 ticularly important to achieve strong mixing action at the bottom of the tank as the particles are relatively heavy and tend to settle rapidly out of the suspension along the bottom surfaces of the tank. The propellers 56, 57 have a plurality of blades similarly pitched and arranged so i that when they are rotated at high speed the suspension flows in the tank substantially in thedirection of the arrows shown in FIG. 1. The axis of shaft 54 ispositioned approximately 10 degrees away from the vertical position so that the flow of material will be as the arrows of FIG. 1' indicate. Because of the pitch of the shaft, the position of the propellers, and the high speed at which they are driven, a strong turbulence is created adjacent the bottom of thetank and the particles are swept around the position outside a large furnace while operating, and the l refractory material sprayed within.

These and other objects together with the attendant advantages are described herein and in the attached drawings, wherein: V

FIG. 1 is a sectional view taken in side elevation of one form of the apparatus of this invention; 1

FIG. 2 is a top view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectionalview of the conduit mixer taken which the refractory particles are charged into the tank. A circular sealing insert 16, making the inlet substantially water tight and pressure tight, rests upon an annular flange 18 attached to the bottom of inlet collar 14. The

inlet door 20 is equipped with a handle 22 to facilitate the loading operation and two locking bars 24 secure the door after the tank is loaded. The tank itself rests upon platform and is held in the upright position by a plurality of supports 32. A drain pipe 34 joins the tank at its lowest point and is equipped with threads 36 so that drain cap 38 can be threaded thereon with the use of handle 39. A vent pipe 40 joins the tank at the upper left side as shown in FIG. 1, also shown in FIG. 2, with -a 'valve 42 for releasing pressure from the tank when of finely divided particles of chrome ore and magnesite ore, or the like, which are of such size as to readily pass through a 60 mesh screen'with approximately 50% of the particles passing through a 100 mesh screen. This material may be charged in its dry state through the tank inlet 12 and liquid, usually water and liquid binders, is also fed through inlet 12. 1

tank, and mechanically diffused into the suspension. A vortex is thereby created at the surface of the suspension and strong currents-are directed to all parts of thetank.

Extending through the top of the tank and surrounded by packing gland 61 is a tube 62 which is connectedto an outlet conduit 64 on top of the tank and which has an open end deep within the tank. Tube 62 can preferably have a diameter of approximately two inches and the open end preferably is positioned about. one-half inch from the tank bottom; Tube. 62, at least that portion immersed in the suspension, ispo'sitioned at an angle of approximately 6 degrees away'from the vertical positionso. as to facilitate the fiow of material from the propellers and the bottom of the tank.. It is most important that the lower propeller 57 be located immediately adjacent to the bottom opening of pipe 62, substantially as shown.

A pressure regulator 63 and gauge 63a are locatedbetween air pipe 58 and conduit 64 so that a predetermined amount of compressed air passes through the regulator 63 and acts to speed the flow of the liquid material along conduit 64.

As shown in FIG. 2, in addition to FIG. 1, outlet 64- subsequently connects with the discharge nozzle 68. Conduit 64 is a continuous length of tubing having connected pipe 58, regulated by valve 59, feeding compressed air through the extension pipe 58a into the unfilled top portion 69 of the tank and against thc'surface of the suspension. Compressed air having a pressure of substantially 100 psi. is sufficient to force the'liquid suspension up tube 62 and out conduit 64.

Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4, the apparatus for mixing the particles a second time and within the conduit itself, a distance from the main mixing .tank, is shown in greater detail. Conduit64, shown to the left of FIG. 3, is threaded into a reducing element 70 which in turn is threaded into a sleeve 74 which is attached, at the opposite end, by threads to an outlet pipe 67. The pipe 67 is attached, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, to a flexible spraya ing hose or nozzle 68 whichis directed by hand. A cone A receiving chamber 84 condenses the flow once again before it is discharged through outlet pipe 67. When the area,

aqueous suspension strikes the blades of the helical mixer 80, the metallic particles are violently deflected Within the conveying liquid and the compressed air so that the water, air and particles are again thoroughly mixed together before they are ejected out of the nozzle 68. The purpose of the helical mixer is to prevent or retard the premature settling out and separation of these particles within the conveying liquid and compressed air stream.

This embodiment of the high pressure refractory gun of this invention operates substantially as follows. The main mixing apparatus 5 is positioned outside an opening which extends through the furnace. A quantity of chrome or magnesite ore particles, for example, is deposited through opening 12 and then insert 16 and door 20 are locked in closed position. Liquid is fed into the tank through opening 12, usually until it fills the tank to a level somewhat above the upper propeller blade 56, as shown in FIG. 1. The high speed mixer is started and the propellers cause the dilfusion of the particles and a turbulence at or near the bottom opening of tube 62 so that the suspension flows up the tube. Compressed air meanwhile, flows into the unfilled and emptying portions 60 of the tank, forcing the suspension up tube 62. Compressed air also passes through the regulator 63 and adds to the velocity of the stream passing out conduit 64. The suspension encounters the conduit mixer 80 whereby the refractory particles are again diffused by deflection in the stream. An operator controls and directs the flow of the suspension out of the nozzle.

It is understood that only one specific embodiment of the invention is described herein but that other forms and modifications thereof can be made. For example, the high speed mixing means can have additional propellers and arranged different in respect to the outlet tube. Further, the conduit mixer can have revolving parts rather than that shown. These and other modifications are well within the spirit of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A high pressure refractory gun comprising, in combination, a mixing tank for holding a suspension of finely divided metallic ore refractory particles; a tank discharge tube extending angularly downwardly and inwardly toward, and having its open lower end substantially at, the bottom center of the tank, said tube having its upper end spaced away from the vertical center axis of said tank; a propeller shaft extending angularly downwardly and inwardly toward, and having its lower end near to, the lower end of said tank discharge tube; a propeller mounted at said lower end of said shaft; a spray-directing nozzle remote from said tank; a conduit of substantial length connecting to said spray-directing nozzle; junction means connecting a source of compressed air to the top of said tank, connected to said discharge tube and also to said conduit, for maintaining air under pressure on the surface of the suspension within the tank thereby to tend to force such suspension through said tank discharge tube and out through said conduit.

2. A gun as claimed in claim 1 characterized by the provision of mixing means within said conduit near said nozzle, said mixing means including a cone-shaped expander chamber, followed by a helical mixing propeller and a condensing chamber.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 587,890 8/97 Weaver 239-142 1,860,136 5/32 Bunch 239-373 2,267,897 12/41 Carrico 239-142 X 2,514,999 7/50 Goldsbrough 259-42 2,743,909 5/56 Lawlor 259-42 2,786,742 3/57 McKinley 239-398 3,042,310 7/62 Franke et al 239-142 FOREIGN PATENTS 406,028 11/09 France.

LOUIS J. DEMBO, Primary Examiner. GEORGE 1. NORTH, Examiner. 

1. A HIGH PRESSURE REFRACTORY GUN COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A MIXING TANK FOR HOLDING A SUSPENSION OF FINELY DIVIDED METALLIC ORE REFRACTORY PARTICLES; A TANK DISCHARGE TUBE EXTENDING ANGULARLY DOWNWARDLY AND INWARDLY TOWARD, AND HAVING ITS OPEN LOWER END SUBSTANTIALLY AT, THE BOTTOM CENTER OF THE TANK, SAID TUBE HAVING ITS UPPER END SPACED AWAY FROM THE VERTICAL CENTER AXIS OF SAID TANK; A PROPELLER SHAFT EXTENDING ANGULARLY DOWNWARDLY AND INWARDLY TOWARD, AND HAVING ITS LOWER END NEAR TO THE LOWER END OF SAID TANK DISCHARGE TUBE; A PROPELLER MOUNTED AT SAID LOWER END OF SAID SHAFT; A SPRAY-DIRECTING NOZZLE REMOTE FROM SAID TANK; A CONDUIT OF SUBSTANTIAL LENGTH CONNECTING TO SAID SPARY-DIRECTING NOZZLE; JUNCTION MEANS CONNECTING A SOURCE OF COMPRESSED AIR TO THE TOP OF SAID TANK, CONNECTED TO SAID DISCHARGE TUBE AND ALSO TO SAID CONDUIT, FOR MAINTAINING AIR UNDER PRESSURE ON THE SURFACE OF THE SUSPENSION WITHIN THE TANK THEREBY TO TEND TO FORCE SUCH SUSPENSION THROUGH SAID TANK DISCHARGE TUBE AND OUT THROUGH SAID CONDUIT. 